Coronary arteries carry blood to the muscles of the heart. Any blockage occurring in these arteries, such as by cholesterol build-up, calcific plaque or by clotting, can give rise to serious heart disease. In particular, when the blood supply to a part of the heart is completely cut-off, the affected area of the heart muscle may cease to function.
Medical procedures and therapy for clearing blockages of this type have included the use of chemicals to dissolve the blockage, conventional bypass surgery, laser techniques to fragment and remove the blockage, and mechanical devices to clear or compress the blockage. Such conventional procedures each has obvious limitations and dangers associated with its use.